Automatic train-stop.



F. W. THLLL.

AUTOMATIC TRAIN STOP.

APPLICATION FILED MAY 6, ISIS.

Patented Jan. M, 1919.

2 SHEETS-SHEEI 1.

F. W. THILL.

AUTOMATIC TRAIN STOP.

APPLlCATIOi'T FILED MAY6. 1915.

Patented Jam. M, 1919.

2 SHEETS-SHEET 2.

I I I I Ali llTH-K W. THILL, F CALJDVTELL, NEW J ERSEY, ASSIGNOR TU LEM'UJEL C. BHTSTUW, 0F

CALDWELL, NEW JIFFY.

A'UTUFIIATTC TRAIN-SAUDI.

Application filed May 6, 1915.

To all whom 2'17 may concern:

Be it known that T, FRANK W. TnnnL, a

citizen of the United States, residin at Caldwell, in the county of Essex and State of New Jersey, have invented certain new and useful Improvements in Automatic Train-Stops, of which the following is a specification. This invention relates to an automatic train stop and the principal object of the invention is to provide improved means for venting the train line pipe in case the engineer does not see a danger signal and thus permit the brakes to be applied and bring the train to a stop.

Another object of the invention is to provide an improved type of track device which will be set when the semaphore arm is moved to a danger position and which will be returned to an inoperative position when the semaphore arm is set at safety. I

Another object of the invention is to so construct the train device as to permit the brakes to be set regardless of the direction in which the train is moving.

Another object of the invention is to provide an improved type of cylinder valve for the system, the valve being so constructed as to permit air from the train line to return the valve to its normal position after the brakes have been set.

Another object of the invention is to so construct this device as to permit it to be used either in connection with a track devicepositioned adjacent the rails or with a device suspended from an overhead bridge.

Another object of the invention is to so brake system showing the improved device connected therewith, one of thepiston valves being shown in section and the other in elevation.

Fig. 8 is a perspective view of the track device Specification of Letters Patent.

Patented d'an. 1d, 191%.

Serial No. sears.

Fig. 4: is a fragmentary view of the con nection between the semaphore arm and the track device.

Fig. 5 is a view in elevation showing the manner of mounting a trip, upon an overhead bridge.

as shown in Fig. 1 and also carries an arm 16 with which the rod 17 is connected. This rod 17 has its opposite end connected with the bell crank lever 18 which bell crank lever is connected with the rod 19 as shown in Fig. 4. The rod 19 extends through the bell crank 20 mounted upon the semaphore poles 21 and connected with the lower end of the rod 22 leading to the semaphore arm 23. Therefore when the semaphore arm 23 is'moved the shaft 13 will be rocked and the shoes swung either toa set position or to an inoperative position according to the position of the semaphore arm.

Tn Figs. 5. and 6 there has been shown a modified form of trip mechanism. The form shown in Fig. 5 is provided so that the trip can be connected with a signal bridge 24: with the bearing 12 secured to the bridge and the rocker shaft 13 positioned beneath the same. In this form the arm 16 will be connected with the bell crank lever 25 by means of a rod 26 and the bell crank lever 25 will. be connected with the bell crank lever 27 by means of a rod 28. The semaphore arm 29 which is mounted upon the pole 30 is connected with. the bell crank lever 27 by means of a rod 31 and therefore when the semaphore arm is moved the rocker shaft 13 will be rotated and the trip 14 moved eitherto a set or an inoperative position according to the position of the semaphore arm. The device shown in Fig. 6 is simply a temporary device and comrises the shoe or trip 32 which is carried y the arm 33 leading from the clamp 3t.

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lltltl This clamp 34 will be releasably connected with the rail 15 by means of the leaf 35 and set screws 36 and will be put in place by the flagman or conductor of a train in case a train stops unexpectedly or for any other reason it is desired to stop a train between the usual signal stations.

The train device is disclosed in Figs. 1 and 2, and in these figures the train line is indicated by the numeral 37 and the auxiliary tank by the numeral 38. This auxiliary tank 38 receives its supply of air from the train line 37 through the medium of the pipes 39, 40, and 41, the pipes 39 and 41- leading respectively to the cylinders 42 and 43 and pipe 40 connecting the cylinders. The pipe 39 communicates with the auxiliary reservoir 38 through the medium of the pipe 44 which pipe 44 communicates with the lower end of the cylinder 42 and is provided with a branch 45 communicating with the lower end of the cylinder 43. The pipe 41 notonly communicates with the upper end portion of the cylinder 43 but is provided with a branch 46 having its exten sion.47 communicating with the intermediate portion of the cylinder 43. Each of these cylinders is also provided with outlets 48 and 49 andwith a passageway 50 of small capacity leading from the lnner end portion of the openings with which the pipes 40 and41 communicate and opening within the chamber 51.

From an inspection of Fig. 2 .with particular reference to cylinder '43 it will be seen that each of these cylinders is provided with the chambers 51 and 52 connected by the neck 53. The pistons 54 and 55 which are slidably mounted in these chambers are connected by the shaft 56 carrying the valve v5'7 in which there'is provided the U-shaped passageway 58. A spring 59 is provided to engage the wall of the cylinder thus holding the valve 57 in tight engagement with the cylinder wvall and preventing leakage of air through the passageway 58 when the valve is in the position shown. Actuating rods 60 extend from the piston .55 through the head 61 of the cylinders and are provided with rollers 62-engaging the arms 63 and 64 of the rocker lever or trigger 65. This lever or trigger 65 will be pivotally mounted upon the cab of the engine at any convenient point by means of a suitable pin passing through the opening 66. Therefore the lever or trigger will" extend as shown in Fig. 1 so that the roller 67 can engage the trip shoe and swing upon its pivotto move one of the actuating rods60 inwardly.

This apparatus will be preferably mounted as shown in Fig. 1 with the trigger or lever 65 extending downwardly to engage the trip shoe in case the engineer does not see the semaphore arm or signal of the track.

walker or conductor of the preceding train.

the pipe '41 .will also be closed with the exception of the small passageway 50. As these pistons move upwardly the sliding block valves 57 will move upwardly so that the ends of the U-shaped passage 58 will register .with the opening communicating with the extension 47 and with the branch 68 of the outlet 49. These pistons and the shaft 56 carrying the same will be moved u wardly untilthe opening 48 is uncovered an permits the air in the auxiliary reservoir 38- to exhaust through the pipes 44 and 45 into the chamber 52 and out through the opening 48. The air in the train line 37 will exhaust through the pipes 41 and 46 and extension 47 and thus the brakes upon all of the cars of the train as well as upon the engine will be applied. In order to prevent the air from exhausting in the train line too rapidly there is provided the usual automatic reducin valve 69 which valve controls the passage 0 air through the pipe 41 and causes a service application of the brakes to be applied instead of an emergency application Therefore the train will be brought to a stop if it passes a signal and danger of collision will be' avoided. It

should also be noted that this lever 65 is so positioned that if the engine should jump the track the lever will strike the ties or rails and thus be moved to an operative position to apply the brakes.

After the train has been brought to a stop it is desired to release the brakes and in order to do so the auxiliary tank must be again filled with air from the train line. This is accomplished by means of the air which will pass through the small passageway 50 into the upper portion of the chamber 51. The principal portion of the air passing throughthe pipe 41 will pass thrbuigli the pipe 46 but a certain amount will pass through the passageway 50 into .the chamber 51 and the upper portion of this chamber will be gradually filled with-air under pressure thusmoving the piston downwardly. This piston .will at first move slowly until the passageway 58 is out of alinement with, the passageways in the' Willi naonaaa be uncovered until the piston 54: is almost entirely in the position shown in Fig. 2 and therefore the air in the compartment 52 wvill not be under pressure and will o der no resistance to the movement of the piston 55. As soon as the piston is in the original position the air will pass through the pipe e0 into the chamber 51 of the cylinder 42 and through the pipe 39 into the auxiliary reservoir tank 38. The dial in the cab will indicate when the air in the auxiliary reservoir is under suficient pressure and the engineer will therefore know when he can release thebrakes.

' l have therefore provided a train stopping apparatus which is so constructed that the train can be brought to a stop if it passes a signal or if the wheels jump the track, the apparatus being so constructed that after the train has been brought to a stop the brakes may be released. lit should also be noted that this mechanism is so constructed that it may be applied to air brake systems now 1n use. ,7

What is claimed is 1. In an air brake system a train line, an auxiliary tank, a cylinder provided with end chambers and with a neck connecting said chambers, pistons slidably mounted in said chambers, a shaft connecting said pistons and extendingithrough said neck, an actuating rod extending from one of said pistons out of said cylinder, said cylinder being provided with an outlet and an inlet passage communicating with the lower chamher, a pipe leading from said auxiliary res- 'ervoirand communicating with said inlet passageway, a pipe leading from the train line and communicating with the ,upper chamber, a pipe communicating with the' upper chamber and with the pipe leading from said auxiliary reservoir, said cylinder being provided with an inlet opening and an outlet opening communicating with said neck, a block valve mounted upon said shaft intermediate said pistons and provided with a passageway for bridging the space between the inlet and outlet openings of said neck, and a pipe leading from the inlet opening of said neck and communicating with the pipe leading from said train line.

2. In an air brake system a train line, an auxiliary reservoir, a cy1inder,'a pipe leading from said auxiliary reservoir and communicating with the lower end portion of said cylinder, a pipe leading from said last mentioned pipe and communicating with the upper end portion of said cylinder, a pipe leading from the upper end portion of said cylinder and communicating with said train line pipe, a pipe leading from said last mentioned pipe and communicating with the intermediate portion of said cylinder, a piston slidably mounted in each end portion of said cylinder, a shaft connecting said pistons, an actuating rod leading from one of said piston through said cylinder, said cylinder being provided with an outlet adjacent its lower end and with an outlet intermediate its length, and a sliding block valve carried by said shaft and provided with a passageway having ,its ends positioned to register with said last mentioned outlet and with said last mentioned pipe when said pistons are moved out of their normal positions.

3. In an air brake operating system a train line, an auxiliary reservoir, cylinders posi tionedbeneath said train line and auxiliary reservoir and having a piston movably mounted therein, pipes leading from said pneumatically operated means to said auxiliary reservoir and train line pipe, and mechanically operated means for starting said piston from its normalposition to a set position, the air from said auxiliary reservoir completing the movement of the piston toward a set position and the air from said train line pipe returning the piston to its normal position.

4:. An air brake system including a train line pipe, an auxiliary reservoir, a valve cylinder communicating with said auxiliary reservoir and with said train line pipe, a reducing valve positioned between said valve cylinder and said train line pipe, .valve means carried by said pneumatically operated means, and actuating means for giving the valve of said valve cylinder its initial movement in one direction.

5. An air brake system including a train line pipe, an auxiliary reservoir, valve means communicating with said auxiliary reservoir and with said train line pipe, a reducing valve positioned between said valve means and said train line pipe, and means for giving said valve means its initial movementin one direction.

. 6. An air brake system including'a train line pipe, an auxiliary reservoir, valve means positioned between said train line pipe and auxiliary reservoir and including slidably mounted plungers having actuating rods, and actuating means for moving said plungers in one direction.

7. An air brake operating systemembodying therein an auxiliary reservoir, a cylinder, pipe connections whereby air from atrain line may be delivered through one portion of said cylinder to said reservolr, pipes whereby air may be delivered from said reservoir to another portion of said cylinder, means adapted to substantially simultaneously control the flow of air to and from said reservoir, means acting in synchronism with said last named means wherebywhen the flow of air to said reservoir is interrupted, a train line may be vented, and actuating means adapted to engage a contact actuated by a danger signal, whereby said llllh means controlling the flow of air to and from said reservoir and the venting of the cylinder having therein an inlet and. an outlet port'intermediate-said chambers, pipes connecting the outlet port of one of said chambers and the inletport of said other chamber with the reservoir, a pipe c0nnect ing the inlet port intermediate said chambers and the inlet port of one of said chambers with atrain line, connecting pistons mounted in said chambers respectively controlling the ports in said chambers, a valve mechanism operating in synchronism with said pistons in controlling said ports intermediate said chambers, and actuating means adapted to engage a contact actuated by a danger signal, whereby said means controlling the flow of air to and from said reservoir and the venting of the train line will be automatically actuated.

In testimony whereof I aflix my signature in presence of two witnesses.

' FRANK W. THILL;

Witnesses:

ARTHUR JoNEs,

'PERsoNETrn Gr. BALDWIN. 

